Sinners (2002) - Part 3/7

Directed by Aisling Walsh and produced by BBC Northern Ireland, Sinners tells the story of a young woman (Anne-Marie Duff) and her experiences surviving in one of Ireland's infamous Magdalene Asylums. Apologies about the slightly grainy picture.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Magdalene
• Asylum
• Laundry
• Sisters
• Aisling
• Walsh
• Anne
• Marie
• Duff
• Catholic
• Church
• Corruption
• Abuse
• Ireland
• BBC
• Sinners
• 2002

[LisaKee73]

These nuns had no calling from God. They were simply sadists who found a place where they could inflict cruelty and abuse with fear of retribution.

They'll burn in hell

[groovylocks]

no guilt worse than guilt for something that wasn't your fault..

[boc1953]

@ChenStylish Footbinding was handed down through generations, like many traditions. Religious indoctrination is the same in that it is lovingly perpetuated with the best of intentions and with a sincere belief that it is a virtue. In fact it is not a force for good in our world. Faith is not a virtue any more than footbinding is. I have agreed with you on the effect of education, economy etc but this was a time in Ireland when the church could have done so much good for society but didn't!

[ChenStylish]

@boc1953 it had nothing to do with footbinding as a belief. Everything is a belief but not everything causes massive abuse on a wide scale. You have to take a lot into account to find somewhere to throw a stone in a case like this. Economy, education, whether there is political or social instability, whether there is famine or plenty. In a country experiencing difficulties, unfairness abounds and groups are marginalized, regardless of belief or lack of.

[ChenStylish]

@boc1953 blame the belief is also ridiculous. The "belief" has nothing to do with it, otherwise this would be an exclusive phenomenon in an otherwise sane world. Look at footbinding in china. Nobody NOBODY oversaw that. It was a massive headless blunder.. a perpetual public works project with no face. Mothers just kept the tradition going because it's what their mothers had taught them. There was no rule that it had to be done but mothers wouldn't choose unbound girls for their sons.

[boc1953]

@LisaKee73 I think we agree on certain points but I hold that a large part of the reason for these people behaving in this way IS because of church doctrine. The commitment to celibacy, the deprivation of human interaction on a normal level, the solitude, the judgemental attitude all contribute to the atmosphere of detachment and lack of empathy. Add to this the fact that the nuns and priests believe it is part of god's will and they are saving souls from eternal damnation, this is the result.

[akissy]

@akissy ppl dying on the streets because of the extreme cold or the extreme heat... ugh... it all makes me so angry... ¬¬** /rant

[akissy]

@akissy ... and then all these stories about the Magdalene Asylum's and pedophile priests and now nuns.... I say we should vanish religion from such a prominent position in our society, and take all their gold and riches to be used for what they are supposed to be used!! Why the need for three story temples that could make a great hospital, school or secular orphanage? And all the money invested in the paintings, marbles and shit like that? There's kids dying every day cause of hunger...

[akissy]

This is what religion is: a bunch of evil doers... They take votes of poverty and chastity and have you seen any real poverty and chastity in them? I've never seen it myself. If I stole an chalice from my city's cathedral and sold it in the black market I could make a decent sum to feed my family for an entire year or even more! And that's from a petty city's cathedral, think about if we took a chalice from the Vatican? The altar alone, from any church, could be thousands of USD...

[LisaKee73]

@boc1953

I think we agree, but our explanation of our beliefs differ! I've said that blaming an entire religion for the acts of the individuals is wrong. And obviously a soldier committing atrocities under orders is different to him/her committing those atrocities of his own free will. But when a crime is covered up then everyone involved is guilty.

If a person is inclined towards abusing vulnerable people then they will undoubtedly find a position of trust. What better than 'in God's name'

[LisaKee73]

@boc1953

I agree, the church must be held responsible for the abuse they covered up! I have never denied that. the point I am making is that, whilst these people used religion and the church as an excuse for their abuse, the fault MUST lie with them primarily. being educated in a Catholic school I am fully aware of how these archaic beliefs are drummed into you. But to wilfully abuse someone because you interpret their actions as a sin in first and foremost a CHOICE.

[LisaKee73]

@boc1953 Those women knew prior to entering a convent that they would be childless, be stripped of anything that was considered vain and live a life of solitude and contemplation - that was the hole point!

So how does being taught that sexual thoughts were a sin make them think that the sexual and physical abuse of these women was right? If a priest is taught that sex outside of marriage is a sin then why would he rape a young girl. Surely he would then be as guilty as his victim?